Papa and Me
By Skye
Papa and I were eating dinner. I made Venison for dinner, his favorite. Thanks to Papa the only meat we had was deer. He needed his protein so I made Venison.
“Hey…ahh…Ariana, this weekend me and Floyd are gonna go four wheelin’, you…ahh…wanna come?” He asked nervously.
“Thanks Papa. But you can go. I don’t wanna cut into your time with Floyd.” I said sweetly, worried about his reaction.
“Are you sure? You’re my Granddaughter.” He said trying to bribe.
“Yeah, but Papa.” I said trying to be reasonable.
“Before we’s gets too far in a conversation, can you get the pepper?” He asked.
“Sure Papa.” I said politely. I walked into the kitchen and looked in the cupboard where the pepper would usually be but it wasn’t there. “Papa where’s the pepper?” No answer. “Papa?” Still no answer. “Papa…Papa?” I turned back to face him. He was on the floor. “PAPA! Nooo! Why now?!? I’m not ready for this!” I dragged his dead body outside.
Once I was outside I opened the garage and ran to get the red wheel barrow. Once I got back to Papa I stood motionless in front of his dead body, with tears dripping down my eyes. I tried to scoop his body into the wheel barrow. It took me a while to actually get him in.
I dragged him through the open trail we passed the Junk Pile and Bill’s Deer Stand and then I got to the spot where I was to burry him. It took me hours to bury him. I had a lot of work ahead of me. While I was walking back I was thinking deeply about how to afford the house and EAT! I decided I would go into to town and be interviewed for some jobs. I would use half of my money for bills and the other half for food.
I was finally home. As I bounced up the wooden stairs I thought about Papa and how I lived with him my whole life. He taught me how to ride a bike, drive and he even paid for me to go to school. Since I was alone I was forced to drop-out.
No one was here to keep me company. I was now seven-teen and living alone. No family. No friends. No money.
When I was inside I went to fridge and made a list of what I either needed or was almost out of. I needed meat, milk, veggies.
I made my bed, and Papa’s. I put a picture of Papa on the pillow he always used. The way his smile made my stomach feel tingly. I climbed on the bed. I sat directly in front of Papa’s picture. I said a prayer he’d say every night when I pretended to be asleep. “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord my soul to keep, for if I die before I wake pray the lord my soul to take.” I stopped and tears became streaming out of my eyes. I slowly climbed off the bed and grabbed the keys to the truck.
Now I was in front of “Super One”. I was going to get the chicken and the milk, and some veggies.
While the check-out lady was scanning my items she snuck I dirty look at me. Her eyes burning into mine. Her big bushy eyebrows and furry wart on her upper lip gave away the rudeness she dished up.
“$63.78.” She snarled, stretching out her hand for the money. I handed her a $100 bill since I didn’t have any thing else. “UGHHH!” She complained because she didn’t want to deal out any more money to me. “$36.22 is your change.” She snarled.
“Well aren’t you gonna put my items in a bag?” I asked seconds later regretting my words.
“Ughh,” She moaned. “Paper or Plastic?” She said angrily. She put the chicken at the bottom of the bag, and then the veggies. After that she put the gallon of milk to wreck all the food under it. “Ok Shorty, stuffs’ in the bag now you should leave.” She shouted. “Oh… or maybe you could look for more ways to waste my day!” She said sarcastically. But she didn’t realize the manager was walking up behind her.
“BETTY!” He said stern and serious. “There are so many things wrong with what you did. First of all you never put vegetables and a chicken under a gallon of milk.”
“Well what do you want me to do?” She said annoyed.
“I want you to run, go put the milk, the chicken and the vegetables away come back, and go get new ones.”
“What?? I’m not doing that! She’s a brat!”
“Then you’re fired!” He shouted. “Just wait sweetie. 5,4,3,2,1.”
“FINE!” She finally said.
“I thought so!” He said bragging. “Now go get her items!”
When I got home that night, I pulled out one of Papa’s old shirts. It was midnight blue, had “Leech Lake” sewed in. It also had a bear sown in. I knew some kids slept with blankets when they were young. But if I couldn’t be with Papa I had to be with a memory of him.
I walked up the small brown carpeted stairs leading to the tiny room I slept in, the painting of Papa of Papa still hanging by my bed where it always was. The black dotted design on the sheets, and purple quilt Nani had made. The room wasn’t quite put together yet something was missing. It was Papa’s shirt. I put the shirt right above my bed to tie the room together.
That morning when I awake I smelt eggs and fresh maple syrup! I had to be dreaming to be smelling things this good! I was so hypnotized I almost fell down the stairs. I felt woozy. As I slowly walked down the stairs, the smell was getting stronger. At last I was finally down the stairs I looked around, in disappointment I frowned. There was no food, in fact not one little crumb.
The lights suddenly went black I fell to the floor. My heart stopped. It was dark, I could figure that out, but what I couldn’t figure out what was happening. I laid there alone, in the dark. I was dead, the words spinning around in my head. I couldn’t grasp the feeling.
I heard voices.
“Ehhh…Matt...you tink she’s gonna be ok?” Said a man.
“I hope so Allen.” Replied another.
“Matt lets get her in the ambulance.” Said the first one.
“Ok” the conversation continued in the ambulance about a pointless subject, Baldness. “Allen…ya know…I don’t wanna be rude or anything but…your bald.”
“Well I’m 53 years old, Matt. When you’re that old you lucky to even have hair.”
“Well, just saying I’m only 26. I won’t be that old for a while.”
“Ahaha! Ya know Matt you make me laugh!”
“I don’t know If that is a good thing or a bad thing in this case.”
“Once again you make me laugh! And yes that is a good thing.”
All the sudden a new voice began to speak. “Yahl better go drive or I’m gone slap you silly.”
“Ok Gloria!!! We’ll go!” They both said in fright.
“Oh Sweetie, I hope you feel betta soon.” She said.
All the sudden the nice smooth ride came to a stop. “Allen, Matt you better get this girl out of here before I take out my baseball bat.”
“OH!! OK!” They stammered.
I was inside. I was calm, almost asleep, and for once I was comfortable. I fell asleep later. I was dreaming about Papa. My dream was interrupted by arguing.
“But, Doctor, She’s a young girl who shouldn’t be put through this.”
“But her heart is down.” He Disagreed.
“Doctor, try something else besides that and than if nothing works you can use the defibrillator.”
“I’m doing the detribalization and that’s final.’ He decided.
I felt more pricks. I had no power over my body except my brain which for some reason was actually working.
“Alright everybody out except Gloria, Allen and Matt. Were gonna do a detribalization. Clear.” He shouted and put two cold metal things on my chest and a shock traveled through my body and stopped at my heart. “Her heart is up by 1%. Come on we can do better than that let’s go! Clear.” The shock traveled through my body once again, but this time more powerful.
I awoke. The world was unclear and empty.
“Gimme water”
“What did you say Sweetie?” The nurse asked.
“GIMME WATER!” I shouted in gibberish.
“Oh. Sorry honey, I’ll be right back with you’re water.” She said politely.
The nurse came back with a glass of water. “Here ya go Sweetie.” She said handing it to me. “You get to go home in a couple days, are you excited?” She asked.
“No.” I said seriously.
“Why not, sweetie pie?”
“Papa died and I am all alone. There’s nothing to look forward to. I have no friends, no family, hardly any money and nobody loves me.” I said depressed.
“Ya know you’re wrong.”
“Huh??”
“You’re wrong.”
“How?” I questioned.
“I love you.” She said.
“Really?” I said.
“Yes really.”
“Well who are you? I don’t want to be offensive or anything but I don’t know who the heck you are.”
“Yes you do. You just don’t remember. I’m your mother.”
“What?!? How is that possible?” I screamed.
“You are my child. I divorced you Father, when you were a baby. He remarried another woman and he never told you. That lady you thought was your Mom wasn’t really.” She explained.
“But, but? That is SO confusing!” I stammered.
“Well you’ll have to believe me.” She answered.
“Ahhh! This is too much! My brain is being over loaded! If you are my Mom then why didn’t Dad tell me?” I questioned.
“Because you’re Father is not a good man. He should be in jail, he broke out. He changed his name, age and gave up…me.” She said.
“Mom this makes me extremely uncomfortable. Then is Papa your Dad or Dad’s Dad?” I asked confused.
“Papa is my Dad.”
“Oh ok, just making sure.” I assured her.
“Come live with me every thing will be great!” She said excitedly. “I can’t imagine the fun we’ll have together! It will be so GREAT!!” She said again.
I got to go home the next day, to my real home.
One Year Later…
“Mom? Where’s my computer? I can’t find it any where.” I hollered from upstairs.
“Try checking down here.” She said. “I need to talk to you.”
“About what?” I asked running down the stairs. My Mom was sitting at the table waiting for me and my computer was sitting in front of her. She did not look happy.
“Take a seat Ariana. I’m curious; do hangout with Gina any more from school?”
“Ahh.. sometimes why do ask?” I said nervously.
“Because I got a call from Mrs. Lamone. And she was not happy. She said that Gina was in the hospital because of you.” She said
BUT THIS IS ANOTHER STORY.
By Skye
Papa and I were eating dinner. I made Venison for dinner, his favorite. Thanks to Papa the only meat we had was deer. He needed his protein so I made Venison.
“Hey…ahh…Ariana, this weekend me and Floyd are gonna go four wheelin’, you…ahh…wanna come?” He asked nervously.
“Thanks Papa. But you can go. I don’t wanna cut into your time with Floyd.” I said sweetly, worried about his reaction.
“Are you sure? You’re my Granddaughter.” He said trying to bribe.
“Yeah, but Papa.” I said trying to be reasonable.
“Before we’s gets too far in a conversation, can you get the pepper?” He asked.
“Sure Papa.” I said politely. I walked into the kitchen and looked in the cupboard where the pepper would usually be but it wasn’t there. “Papa where’s the pepper?” No answer. “Papa?” Still no answer. “Papa…Papa?” I turned back to face him. He was on the floor. “PAPA! Nooo! Why now?!? I’m not ready for this!” I dragged his dead body outside.
Once I was outside I opened the garage and ran to get the red wheel barrow. Once I got back to Papa I stood motionless in front of his dead body, with tears dripping down my eyes. I tried to scoop his body into the wheel barrow. It took me a while to actually get him in.
I dragged him through the open trail we passed the Junk Pile and Bill’s Deer Stand and then I got to the spot where I was to burry him. It took me hours to bury him. I had a lot of work ahead of me. While I was walking back I was thinking deeply about how to afford the house and EAT! I decided I would go into to town and be interviewed for some jobs. I would use half of my money for bills and the other half for food.
I was finally home. As I bounced up the wooden stairs I thought about Papa and how I lived with him my whole life. He taught me how to ride a bike, drive and he even paid for me to go to school. Since I was alone I was forced to drop-out.
No one was here to keep me company. I was now seven-teen and living alone. No family. No friends. No money.
When I was inside I went to fridge and made a list of what I either needed or was almost out of. I needed meat, milk, veggies.
I made my bed, and Papa’s. I put a picture of Papa on the pillow he always used. The way his smile made my stomach feel tingly. I climbed on the bed. I sat directly in front of Papa’s picture. I said a prayer he’d say every night when I pretended to be asleep. “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord my soul to keep, for if I die before I wake pray the lord my soul to take.” I stopped and tears became streaming out of my eyes. I slowly climbed off the bed and grabbed the keys to the truck.
Now I was in front of “Super One”. I was going to get the chicken and the milk, and some veggies.
While the check-out lady was scanning my items she snuck I dirty look at me. Her eyes burning into mine. Her big bushy eyebrows and furry wart on her upper lip gave away the rudeness she dished up.
“$63.78.” She snarled, stretching out her hand for the money. I handed her a $100 bill since I didn’t have any thing else. “UGHHH!” She complained because she didn’t want to deal out any more money to me. “$36.22 is your change.” She snarled.
“Well aren’t you gonna put my items in a bag?” I asked seconds later regretting my words.
“Ughh,” She moaned. “Paper or Plastic?” She said angrily. She put the chicken at the bottom of the bag, and then the veggies. After that she put the gallon of milk to wreck all the food under it. “Ok Shorty, stuffs’ in the bag now you should leave.” She shouted. “Oh… or maybe you could look for more ways to waste my day!” She said sarcastically. But she didn’t realize the manager was walking up behind her.
“BETTY!” He said stern and serious. “There are so many things wrong with what you did. First of all you never put vegetables and a chicken under a gallon of milk.”
“Well what do you want me to do?” She said annoyed.
“I want you to run, go put the milk, the chicken and the vegetables away come back, and go get new ones.”
“What?? I’m not doing that! She’s a brat!”
“Then you’re fired!” He shouted. “Just wait sweetie. 5,4,3,2,1.”
“FINE!” She finally said.
“I thought so!” He said bragging. “Now go get her items!”
When I got home that night, I pulled out one of Papa’s old shirts. It was midnight blue, had “Leech Lake” sewed in. It also had a bear sown in. I knew some kids slept with blankets when they were young. But if I couldn’t be with Papa I had to be with a memory of him.
I walked up the small brown carpeted stairs leading to the tiny room I slept in, the painting of Papa of Papa still hanging by my bed where it always was. The black dotted design on the sheets, and purple quilt Nani had made. The room wasn’t quite put together yet something was missing. It was Papa’s shirt. I put the shirt right above my bed to tie the room together.
That morning when I awake I smelt eggs and fresh maple syrup! I had to be dreaming to be smelling things this good! I was so hypnotized I almost fell down the stairs. I felt woozy. As I slowly walked down the stairs, the smell was getting stronger. At last I was finally down the stairs I looked around, in disappointment I frowned. There was no food, in fact not one little crumb.
The lights suddenly went black I fell to the floor. My heart stopped. It was dark, I could figure that out, but what I couldn’t figure out what was happening. I laid there alone, in the dark. I was dead, the words spinning around in my head. I couldn’t grasp the feeling.
I heard voices.
“Ehhh…Matt...you tink she’s gonna be ok?” Said a man.
“I hope so Allen.” Replied another.
“Matt lets get her in the ambulance.” Said the first one.
“Ok” the conversation continued in the ambulance about a pointless subject, Baldness. “Allen…ya know…I don’t wanna be rude or anything but…your bald.”
“Well I’m 53 years old, Matt. When you’re that old you lucky to even have hair.”
“Well, just saying I’m only 26. I won’t be that old for a while.”
“Ahaha! Ya know Matt you make me laugh!”
“I don’t know If that is a good thing or a bad thing in this case.”
“Once again you make me laugh! And yes that is a good thing.”
All the sudden a new voice began to speak. “Yahl better go drive or I’m gone slap you silly.”
“Ok Gloria!!! We’ll go!” They both said in fright.
“Oh Sweetie, I hope you feel betta soon.” She said.
All the sudden the nice smooth ride came to a stop. “Allen, Matt you better get this girl out of here before I take out my baseball bat.”
“OH!! OK!” They stammered.
I was inside. I was calm, almost asleep, and for once I was comfortable. I fell asleep later. I was dreaming about Papa. My dream was interrupted by arguing.
“But, Doctor, She’s a young girl who shouldn’t be put through this.”
“But her heart is down.” He Disagreed.
“Doctor, try something else besides that and than if nothing works you can use the defibrillator.”
“I’m doing the detribalization and that’s final.’ He decided.
I felt more pricks. I had no power over my body except my brain which for some reason was actually working.
“Alright everybody out except Gloria, Allen and Matt. Were gonna do a detribalization. Clear.” He shouted and put two cold metal things on my chest and a shock traveled through my body and stopped at my heart. “Her heart is up by 1%. Come on we can do better than that let’s go! Clear.” The shock traveled through my body once again, but this time more powerful.
I awoke. The world was unclear and empty.
“Gimme water”
“What did you say Sweetie?” The nurse asked.
“GIMME WATER!” I shouted in gibberish.
“Oh. Sorry honey, I’ll be right back with you’re water.” She said politely.
The nurse came back with a glass of water. “Here ya go Sweetie.” She said handing it to me. “You get to go home in a couple days, are you excited?” She asked.
“No.” I said seriously.
“Why not, sweetie pie?”
“Papa died and I am all alone. There’s nothing to look forward to. I have no friends, no family, hardly any money and nobody loves me.” I said depressed.
“Ya know you’re wrong.”
“Huh??”
“You’re wrong.”
“How?” I questioned.
“I love you.” She said.
“Really?” I said.
“Yes really.”
“Well who are you? I don’t want to be offensive or anything but I don’t know who the heck you are.”
“Yes you do. You just don’t remember. I’m your mother.”
“What?!? How is that possible?” I screamed.
“You are my child. I divorced you Father, when you were a baby. He remarried another woman and he never told you. That lady you thought was your Mom wasn’t really.” She explained.
“But, but? That is SO confusing!” I stammered.
“Well you’ll have to believe me.” She answered.
“Ahhh! This is too much! My brain is being over loaded! If you are my Mom then why didn’t Dad tell me?” I questioned.
“Because you’re Father is not a good man. He should be in jail, he broke out. He changed his name, age and gave up…me.” She said.
“Mom this makes me extremely uncomfortable. Then is Papa your Dad or Dad’s Dad?” I asked confused.
“Papa is my Dad.”
“Oh ok, just making sure.” I assured her.
“Come live with me every thing will be great!” She said excitedly. “I can’t imagine the fun we’ll have together! It will be so GREAT!!” She said again.
I got to go home the next day, to my real home.
One Year Later…
“Mom? Where’s my computer? I can’t find it any where.” I hollered from upstairs.
“Try checking down here.” She said. “I need to talk to you.”
“About what?” I asked running down the stairs. My Mom was sitting at the table waiting for me and my computer was sitting in front of her. She did not look happy.
“Take a seat Ariana. I’m curious; do hangout with Gina any more from school?”
“Ahh.. sometimes why do ask?” I said nervously.
“Because I got a call from Mrs. Lamone. And she was not happy. She said that Gina was in the hospital because of you.” She said
BUT THIS IS ANOTHER STORY.
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